Galen T. PickettAssoc. ProfessorPhysics and AstronomyPH3-103
California State University Long Beach 1250 Bellflower Blvd. Long Beach, CA 90840-3901 (562) 985-4934 vc (562) 985-7924 fax
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Analysis of written comments:
At the time of evaluations, enrollment in the course was 62, and 37
students filled out evaluation forms. Of those, 32 had extra written
comments to make.
All semester, I tried very hard to keep the material in Sec
1 synchronized with the material in Sec
2, but these were two different classes, and they had moderately
different views on the course. The differences are interesting, quite
as much as the similarities, so I will group my analysis of both courses.
Two issues stand out, one is the pace of the course
/ number of topics dealt with, and the second involves the the
online homework system. Section
1 met Mondays and Wednesdays, while section 2 met Monday, Wednesday, and
Friday. The homework for each section was due Saturday nights at
9pm. Even though each class covered the same topics at the same rate,
and had the same homework assigned with the same due date, the MWF section
thought the workload was very reasonable (even more reasonable than the
CNSM average) while the MW section frequently commented on how much work
the homework entailed, and the rushed pace of the class. As I start
each class with an opportunity for students to ask questions (and I'm prepared
each class period for the entire period to be taken up with questions if
there are that many), I did find that having a class meeting the day before
the homework was due gave the students a real opportunity to take a crack
at solving the problems. In the MW section, student would have had
to have carved out time on Monday, or Teusday to find out where the difficult
problems were. Also, in the MWF section, there were three opportunities
/ week to ask questions, as opposed to two for the MW section.
The remedy may be to adjust the due dates for the MW homework section so
that there is more of a deadline pressure causing students to bring their
questions to class. I rather think the solution will be to limit
my offerings of the course to MWF sections. At any rate, reducing
the number of topics covered in PHYS 151 is something that the department
will be taking seriously in the future. Both sections, with a few
exceptions, found the Mastering Physics site to be very useful, perhaps
even more useful than the lectures I offer. That is as it should
be --- I am firmly convinced that the lectures are only a supplement to
the real work in the course that takes place in the homework.
Comments made during standard class evaluations:
1. Hey, Pickett, I took this class taught by another teacher
last semester and had to drop out because not only was the teacher from
another country and spoke broken english but the material was just thrown
in our laps also the material was not explained completely or at least
not clearly. This class, however, has been exceptionally informative.
You are one of the best teachers that I have ever had because I can tell
that you care about whether or not the students learn the material.
By you giving so many extensions on the homework and answering every email
in a timely manner this allows students to get more time with things they
don't understand. You were very knowledgeable in this subject and
convey the material clearly. The only thing I would change in this
course is the room.. LH150 doesn't allow you to get as much material in
a class period because you have to erase constantly and go back and forth
from the projector to the board. Need more board space! Thank
you for caring about your students and their futures. Its been a
pleasure. PRIII.
2. A stellar job! I do have one concern --
It seems that 3 50-minute lectures in a week is entirely too short to cover
material with a decent amount of depth. I wish I had taken a section
with more hours per week. (Is there one?) Mastering
Physics, despite a few shortcomings, is an excellent program and I hope
it continues to improve in the future. Here's to many more
years of incredible work!
3. Lab: perfect amount of work, but sometimes was not in sync
with lectures. Classrooms: ECS has giant whiteboards all across the
lecture room. Mastering Physics: Extra credit
is great idea. Email very helpful. Maybe using a forum or the
beachboard forum would help. Mastering Physics had help and hints
for its problems, but none of that for the problems it took from the book.
Book: The book was horrible. It did not cover concepts enough.
The Red Book from the years before is more helpful. Even highschool
physics books are better. Tests: covered such
a wide range. Maybe better or more helpful if we had quizzes in between.
4. You're the best physics teacher ever. I've had four
other physics teachers, and I came into this class dreading and hating
physics. Now I love it. You do a good job teaching the ideas
instead of just giving us equations to use. I
really like using Mastering Phsyics. My only complaint is
that you extend the deadlines for all the homework. I feel that there's
such a thing as going too easy. If you extended it one week, that
would be ok, but people shouldn't be able to complete the first assignment
during the last week of school. The lab was much less work that before.
I liked the las few labs where there was more work done in the packet instead
of on our own.
5. Overall, I believe that you did a great job. I have
heard horror stories, but I haven't felt like this class was impossible.
One thing that was difficult was the fact that we were behind in the class
relative to the homework. You did, however, offer extra credit which
helped tremendously. I could not have wished for a better physics
class! You are an extremely good teacher that seems to genuinely
care about your students. Thanks!!!
6. Professor Pickett is a great teacher for this class.
I like his teaching style although I think it would be much better if he
clearly tells the students what chapter from the book it is before he starts
on new material. Sometimes when he skips a chapter form the book,
I know it from the mastering physics first ( there
are list of problem sets). About the Mastering Physics, I think it
is a very good source. Students can retry as many times as they want
when answering the question. The lab manual doesn't really
helpful for me. The language and structure are hard to follow.
Overall, I am pleased to know that physics department in this school is
not as bad as everyone says. Rock on, Mr. Pickett.
7. Mr. Pickett was an excellent teacher and made learning physics
easier to understand. He was always willing to answer any questions
you had and always willing to work with you. The lab for this class
was ok, but I think its still too long of a lab. Mastering
physics was ok, I liked its flexibility it gave you, but sometimes inputting
the answers were tedious.
8. 1) The classroom is too cold! 2) labs were too indepth
for the course (ex. air resistance? never realy did !) Please make
them more relevent to class. 3)Mastering Physics
... perfect! 4) Thank you for speaking english! When the teacher
doesn't know english well enough, Physics is harder! Physics is already
a foreigh language! 5) Please teach higher levels! You are a great
teacher!
9. I don't like computerized homework
assignments. THe reason being is that one must have continual access
to a computer. That may not always be possible for a campus student
body this large. Sometimes the computer lab is full of students and
there is a waiting list. Once your name is called you have another
class to attend. If a studnet has their own personal computer at
home they may not be able to get everyone else in the house to shut up!
Therefore it isn't an ideal studying environment. Lastly computerized
assignments causes eye damage. The student eye sight will severly
be damaged.
10. I really liked the online homework
because of the fact that you reopen it and gave us a chance to finish what
we didn't. I also like the promptness of your answering emails,
it took one day at the most to respond back to me.
11. I really reccommend taking this professor. If you
have any trouble understanding the lecture or something in general, the
professor is willing to thelp you. His emails are unbelievable step
by step, and therefore are really helpful. Best physics professor
on campus. I was hoping he would teach 152. Signed, student.
12. It would have been nice if Mastering
Physics followed ISEE format more. In the introduction to
new subjects/new concepts, it would have helped more to go over more of
the visual concepts and overall ideas before jumping straight into solving
ISEE problems.
13. A class you will actually learn in. -Great.
Expected amount of work is sufficient. I advise future students to
read the book each week and be familiar with Calculus I/II level math to
be able to master the material. Nonthing major needs to be changed
in the course, when already the group portions of the exams, extra credit
in homework problem sets, and consistent extensions are given on previous
homework before each exam is given. Wonderful!
14. I like how you opened problem sets again to have a second
chance at getting credit. How you answer any questions we have about
problem sets or anything before you lecture. Teach physics 152!
15. 1) Went above and beyond office hours. 2) THIS ROOM
(LH150) IS HORRIBLE FOR LEARNING PHYSICS!!! 3) Instructor's
responses to emails were helpful and quick. 4) Mastering
Physics is hard, but helpful. 5) A couple
of Mastering Physics questions need to be rewritten b/c they are confusing.
6) Lab problems and Labs helped understand. S. K. Raman is
a good lab instructor. 7) Course should be
worth 5 units for the amount of work.
16. Mastering Physics was a good tool
for learning the material in this course. Although I believe
that it should be due Sunday night instead of a saturday night. Good
class!
17. Your lectures are very through. The amount of work
done for the lab was reasonable, but the lab manual needs a lot of work.
THe labs were not that effective in learning the material.
18. I learned most of what I know from the book. My
notes were not very useful to me. However, Dr. Pickett was always
eager to answer questions.
19. Mastering Physics is ok, but does
not promote writing problems out. Felt like this made it difficult
to remember problems or how to do them. Did like the teaching
style, theoretical / no numbers. However, 50
min is not enough time to do examples and answer questions. Suggest
looking into teacing on 2 days a week with longer classes. This would
help in the digestion of course materials.
20. It's been a fun and difficult class but I think Dr.
Pickett made a big difference by throughly explaining it. (great job)
Although, I know for sure I didn't get 100% of everything,
you went over, but I think its better if you can convince the physics
dep. to slow down the amount of chapters we need to go over. Its
too fast ...thanks.
21. The instructor was good, However,
I thought it was too fast. We need more time to cover all the material.
The class time should be expanded.
22. Problems would be more helpful if actual values were used.
Mastering Physics helps a little, but in the end
evryone is more concerned with getting it done and not learning the material.
Organize problems a little better. Easy to get lost.
23. Great insightful class, lectures complicated seemingly
easier problems at times.
24. Mr. Pickett is a great prof., he is great at teaching
the class but mastering phys is frustrating.
25. Mastering Physics becomes useful
when a person becomes used to it, but it is hard to use the first few homeworks,
so for those HW's it made little effect on how much I learned, but after
that it became useful.
26. Instructor gives enough chances to get help with problems
that are difficult and the lectures really do help students understand
the material. Mastering Physics was a great
homework tool because it would help guide you through the problems and
helped you learn the concepts. THe time that the class is
scheduled is great. The amount of work assigned in class and in the
lab is just enough.
27. My major is chemical engineering which has to do with
a lot of thermodynamics so I wish that we has covered chapters 17-20 and
done less of waves/ acoustics/ periodic motion. Overall, though, it was
a very good course. I learned a lot.
28. Mastering Physics website was helpful
in understanding material in class. However, often times, some problem
sets were too difficult to complete. Extra credit probs. helped tremendously.
Pickett teaches at a faster pace and I had
trouble keeping up. Class room is not the best to teach physics,
too hard to read what was written on the chalk board.
29. Pickett is a great professor! I though the class
went pretty smoothly. However, I think the problem sets should be
lightened up a bit. Maybe there should be only, maybe, 5 questions
if each question has a-e parts. They were a little overwhelming.
Raman is an awesome TA for the labs. A lot of times TA's are intimidated,
but Raman was cool and got stuff done. He was able to portray the
information accurately and sufficiently. Your test format is the
best I have seen. Thanks for everything!
30. The lecture hall sucks. I think that is a given.
THe sub that came in even said "How can he teach in here? He can't
do demonstrations!" Demonstrations would help strengthen concepts.
The mastering physics homework is great as is.
The lab and the amount of work is fine. The lab manual was full of
pages I didn't read (but I could still understand the concepts by way of
lab instructor).
31. Course requirements were really good, but your class should
be broken into: Midterms, 10% each, final 15%, homework 25%, attendance
5%, lab 20%, quizzes 5%. Also, make the introduction of each lab
shorter by 1/2 an hour.
32. Mastering Physics helped out a lot
(every other science class should use something like Mastering Physics).
Test questions should be a little easier if we have only 50 minutes to
do the two blue books. Extra credit on homeowrk helped out a lot.
last updated: Jan. 31, 2006
